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Berlin Historic Festival Announced

BERLIN — The first-ever Berlin Historic Festival will be held along Main Street on Saturday, July 6 from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Five street scenes, presented by The Ocean Pines Players, will begin at noon in front of The Atlantic Hotel, Berlin and continue throughout the day. The first vignette will be Berlin’s Mayor Gee Williams welcoming and greeting the first mayor of Berlin, John William Pitts and his wife, and in return, Mayor Pitts presents Mayor Williams with a key to the Town of Berlin.

Eleven historic craftsmen will be on hand to demonstrate their skills and some may even sell their wares. These include quilters, weavers, tinsmith, glassblower, blacksmith, spinner, rug hooker, basket weaver, leather worker, broom maker and a rug braider. These crafts people will be on hand throughout the day to demonstrate and talk with visitors.

A walking tour pamphlet will be available for all interested in discovering Berlin’s historic homes along Main Street, dating back to the late 1700’s. The walking, self-guided tour takes visitors to view approximately 20 historic homes.

Costumes such as dresses from the Civil War era and uniforms from World War I and World War II will be on display.

Historic clothing and artifacts can be found in abundance at The Calvin B. Taylor Museum, located on Main Street, which will be open to the public during the festival. Stories of the town and its people are told with each display. The Calvin B. Taylor Museum is also one of Berlin’s oldest homes and now a beautifully restored museum.

Artifacts from Worcester County’s 10 museums will be on display in Berlin’s many shop windows for visitors to peruse and enjoy during the event.

Several old vehicles will be on display during the festival, one of which is nationally known. It is Jack Benny’s old Touring Car, a 1917 Wilys-Overland 5 passenger Touring Car. The antique car was driven by Benny in Texaco commercials for his TV show in the 1950’s.

Another unique and rare vehicle is a 1934 Twin Coach Delivery Bread Truck, with the patented “Stand and Drive Mechanism” for easy stop and go deliveries. A Model T Ford and a 1880’s Hearse will also be on display.

Berlin’s wide variety of boutique, antique, gift and novelty shops will be open for business as well as restaurants, a coffee house, bakeries and a sweets shop will be on everyone’s must list to visit. Many shop ladies will be in costume.

While all of this is happening, the street enactments will continue with the Ocean Pines Players in costume and in character.

The PineTones Chorus will entertain in front of The Atlantic Hotel at the end of the festival.